The present invention relates to a lift apparatus, and particularly to a lift apparatus that can be used to lift and move non-ambulatory patients or invalids.
It is known to provide a patient lift to hoist patients into the air. For example, prior art devices have a base that supports the lift apparatus on the floor, a frame that extends up from the base, a lifting arm that is coupled to the frame for movement from a lowered position to a raised position, and an actuator that drives the lifting arm. A sling is provided that is wrapped around the patient and coupled to the lifting arm to support him or her as the lift hoists the patient into the air.
Patient lifts are typically used in hospitals, and the base usually has wheels to facilitate convenient placement of the lift, such as adjacent a bed. The sling is wrapped around the patient and attached to the lift arm to support and retain the patient during the lifting operation. A patient lift provides a useful mechanism to move an incapacitated patient, for example, from a bed to a wheel chair or to a bath. Compared with manually lifting the patient, patient lifts reduce the risk of accident as well as physical stress on caregivers such as nurses, who often are relatively much smaller than patients.
According to other features, characteristics, embodiments and alternatives of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds below, the present invention provides a patient lift apparatus which includes a base, a frame extending upwardly from the base, and a lifting arm pivotally coupled to the frame for movement of the lifting arm between a lowered position and a raised position. The apparatus also includes an actuator coupled to the lifting arm for moving the lifting arm between the lowered position and a raised position, and an attachment bar coupled to the lifting arm. The attachment bar has laterally spaced apart first and second sling hooks for receiving a sling assembly. The apparatus further includes a sling assembly configured to be coupled to the attachment bar to hold a patient off the ground. The sling assembly includes a support surface, left and right upper loop assemblies coupled to the support surface, and left and right lower loop assemblies coupled to the support surface. The left upper loop assembly and right lower loop assembly are configured to be coupled to the first sling hook, and the right upper loop assembly and left lower loop assembly configured to be coupled to the second sling hook.
The present invention also provides a patient lift apparatus which includes a base, a frame extending upwardly from the base, and a lifting arm pivotally coupled to the frame for movement of the lifting arm between a lowered position and a raised position. The apparatus also includes an actuator coupled to the lifting arm for moving the lifting arm between the lowered position and a raised position, and an attachment bar coupled to the lifting arm. The attachment bar has laterally spaced apart first and second sling hooks, and a mounting bolt extending upwardly between the first and second sling hooks. The mounting bolt is pivotally coupled to a mounting bracket to allow rotation of the attachment bar relative to the lifting arm about an axis extending through the mounting bolt. The apparatus further includes a sling assembly configured to be coupled to the attachment bar for holding a patient off the ground. The sling assembly includes a support surface, left and right upper loop assemblies coupled to the support surface, and left and right lower loop assemblies coupled to the support surface. The left upper loop assembly and right lower loop assembly are configured to be coupled to the first sling hook, and the right upper loop assembly and left lower loop assembly configured to be coupled to the second sling hook.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a weigh scale is coupled between the lifting arm and the mounting bracket coupled to the attachment bar. Therefore, the patient lift apparatus provides an indication of the weight of the patient supported in the sling assembly.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.